Name: Natasha

Race: Mandrill lvl 5

XP: 510

Size: 70

Type: Beast

Faction: Unaligned

Armor: 0

HP: 4/30

Strength: 5/Speed: 9/Endurance: 5/Magic: 2/Plasticity: 1/Luck 6

Senses: Vision 3, hearing 3, smell 2, taste 1, touch 2

Abilities: Balance 2, omnivorous 2, aposematism 1, innate magic 2

Skills: Bite 1, strike 2, grapple 2, throw 1, climb 1, sneak 3, hide 1, dash 1, dodge 1, block 1

Spells: Bluster 5 MAX, windfury 1

Pain. Blind agonizing pain shooting through my upper arm as I sat in this house, hid in a closet, clutching onto the stump where my limb once was. Of all the luck, I just had to run into one of the three people who can actually chase me across rooftops. I had to quickly open up my menu and use my last available level up to heal myself before I bleed out. Confirming in the blink of an eye before watching the intangible limb simply fade back into being. I clutched the translucent hand once, feeling how numb it was at first, but slowly started to become solid. Though I did have the mind this time to reach out and try to grab something before it became real.

I picked up a shoe off the floor and I was physical, but not quite fully solid. It was like trying to grab onto loose sand, only I was the sand in this case, with the shoe slowly pushing through my fingers and palm and landing on the floor. It took all of maybe ten seconds before it was completely solid again and I tapped the shoe with a finger. Real as it ever was. The pain subsided immediately upon hitting the button and my health was full, but I could still feel that phantom pain as I recalled the sword slashing through my bicep.

Up to this point I hadn’t felt really truly angry about this whole messed up confusing situation. Being turned into a monkey? Weird. Having to survive in the wilderness, scary. Having some sort of video game system that you can level up in, surprising. All to varying degrees of baffling. This time however… I looked right into his eyes, and it wasn’t some instinct to survive, or hunger for food. He looked at me like… Like a monster. My jaw clenched tightly, wrapping my fingers around the newly acquired fully steel knife I had plucked from my chest. One good thing gained from this though. Windfury was fantastic. I got right up to him and stabbed him like six times in a second.

I looked at the knife in my hand, rolling it over in my palm before tucking it into my pouch. One new tool to add to my growing repertoire. Now though, I’m in real danger. I have no healing left, and I need to get back to the woods without being spotted by another human that might be as strong or stronger than he was. The thought rolled through my head like a loose marble as I idly palmed at my newly regenerated arm. I could still feel the sensation of having it lopped off, like it was lightning running up my spine. I couldn’t even think.

I gripped my fingers tightly around my forearm as the other hand flexed and relaxed, as if assuring that it was still real. I eventually reached up to open the door, slipping out of the room and into the open hallway. The shutters to my side were smashed open, which was good. I’d thrown that pan through them so quickly that I didn’t even have time to check. Though now I don’t hear anyone, so they’re probably searching elsewhere now. I just need to…

I hoisted myself up to the window, gently pushing it open and slipping out into a small open area between houses, like a communal backyard, and scampered up onto the opposite roof without any hassle. It was much easier with both arms I must admit. Though as I came to the peak of the roof, looking over, I was just a few streets over to the right side of the mini castle. Or would a mini castle just be a fort? Actually what is the difference between a castle and fort? Honestly the thing I really needed most after being stranded here is apparently a dictionary.

The road looked like it had a couple people on it, but they were more huddled to themselves. It looks like the commotion was starting to spread around a bit, which isn’t great. I really need to move fast, but getting across the road was what got me in the most trouble so far. Though frankly, getting spotted wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world this time around, since I’ll just be sprinting away at full speed if I can. The wall isn’t that far away, and if I were to just make a break for it then I’d probably make it before anyone can stop me.

I huffed, trailing across the rooftops and towards the narrowest stretch of road, which happened to be one area where two houses happened to have front porches that overhang the road a bit. Though it was still like fifteen to twenty feet across. I waited for a moment when it looked like the few pedestrians were all distracted and jumped down, trying to be quiet but really as fast as I could be. The window I have to make it across really couldn’t be more than a few seconds. So when I came to the other porch, I scaled the support beam quickly and threw myself onto the shingled roof, very nearly slipping, but digging my toes into the edge of the roof kept me in place.

Once I made it over the roof there was just one big wide open area around the mini-castle. One small road, and then just open grass for about sixty feet. Nothing to hide behind or skirt around or anything. Making it across there would really just be a dead sprint to the wall, which seems like a bad idea, since looking up at the mini-castle, I can very clearly see there are at least two guards standing on that wall. They didn’t seem to be bothered at all by the mess I’d made out here, so they must really just be there to hold the fort and nothing else. They do however look like they’re really on the lookout. As opposed to the guards that were at the front gate, who looked like they were just there to pass the time.

So then, getting across the way, and not getting spotted are now my main priority. I have nothing to distract with, and nothing to hide behind, someone actively looking for me and no plan. Perfect. How am I going to get to that wall? I tapped my finger to my chin and looked down at my feet. Well, I’m not trying to get into the fort, just to the wall directly behind it, right? Well then, I just need them to be looking inward and not outwards. Simple enough. How do I do that? I could try and get something over the wall, but I’m nowhere near strong enough to throw that far. Ooor… I could try the classic ding-dong ditch. I just need to hit the front door and that should distract people well enough. The question is, what could make enough noise to get their attention?

So I reached down, silently apologizing to the homeowner for appropriating their shingles as I pried one free from the roof. Now, I can’t throw something fifty feet away, but I might be able to get it that far another way. I have bluster upgraded to max, which I’ve seen throw a fully grown lizard off its feet. I’m sure I can launch a piece of clay further than that right? I aimed the tile up, trying for a decent angle so it could arc forwards, not sure exactly how far this will go. I took a deep breath in, holding the tile up with just my fingers, and a rush of wind took it away, tumbling end over end, actually way further than I’d thought it would. It impacted on the wall above the door, which wasn’t what I was going for, but it looks like the guards heard it still since both of them looked over the wall.

It was good enough for me, since neither of them were looking to the side of the castle where I wanted to be. Now all I needed to do was circle around a bit, running across the rooftops to get to the side of the mini castle where they couldn’t see me by looking forward. Then I jumped down, running full speed on my hands and feet to get to the wall, and pressing myself up against it, huffing harshly to catch my breath. Say what you want about monkeys but we’re pretty darn quick. I waited there for a moment before trailing over to the outer wall and hopped onto it, gripping the rough wood and ascending.

I slipped up next to the outer wall, semi-ignoring the mini-castle as I climbed, making my way up, though with more difficulty than expected. Sheer wooden walls don’t have the best hand holds unless you come to a joint or something. Still, I eventually made it up, but rather than just vaulting over and being done with it, my curiosity caused me to peek over the wall into the mini-castle. Which, now looking inside, I’m lucky I only drew the attention of a few people at a time. There were a dozen or so guards armed with bows, armored in helmets and chainmail, all milling about inside.

Naturally, being as intelligent as I am, I said that was enough curiosity for one day, and climbed back down on the opposite side of the wall before I did anything to attract the attention of the men guarding the front. Circling around the outside of the wall back towards the entrance to the town, I kept as close to the wall as I could and kept my head down. Or at least the entrance that I’d come from initially, as apparently there’s more than one. I passed by another heavy gate, staying with my shoulder pressed into the wall up until I had to cross in front of the gate. It didn’t take much, just ducking down and making a quick dash to continue… east? Yes, the sun is setting behind me so it must be east… unless that is different in this world.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

Still, I passed down towards the furthest part of the wall I could before making a break for the second stone wall ahead. Now that the sun was far down the path, the orange sky strayed to purple and blue, which means I finally blend in a bit. The guards at the towers didn’t spot me, and as I slipped forwards into tall grass tension just melted out of my shoulders. Ah the familiar dangers of death by wild animals, much better than swords and arrows.

Autumn Vale

I slipped past the border of yellow leaves and through the woods, climbing the first tree I saw and practically throwing myself from branch to branch. No stealth required, simply going as fast as possible to get back to the other monkeys. Which, frankly, wasn't the best plan considering I could easily attract the attention of any of the other myriad of creatures in these woods that are way stronger than I am, and this time I’d have no buffer of potential health to fall back on. I really need to figure out how to heal without needing copious amounts of xp. I wonder if it’s maybe like a game where if you eat or drink enough, you heal. Or maybe if you only eat certain things. It would make sense if you could only heal by eating meat, as this system that is in place is pretty brutal.

I jumped from one branch to another, grabbing onto one as I went, which drooped under my weight, but I expected it to eventually stop, instead I continued to fall as I realized that I wasn’t holding onto wood. I looked up, and the branch was actually the tail of a well camouflaged, and not very happy snake, now struggling to stay wrapped around a branch. I let go, and jumped away as it hissed loudly above. Maybe I should be paying more attention to where I am going instead of being so lost in thought. This seems to be a recurring problem for me.

A soft chuff escaped my nose as I scrambled up the next tree and across one large branch, almost the size of the trunk, jumping and swinging over to the next branch. It didn’t take me all too long to get to a place that was familiar, which was good, considering I’m starting to get familiar enough with the jungle to recognize a few areas. Makes me wish I knew how to make maps so I could write things down. I also wish I had things to write with… and on. Also manual dexterity. I passed that up early on, and now I’m really feeling like I’m missing out.

Still maybe I’ll have another opportunity after this whole evolution thing? I really need a lot more xp so I can figure out whatever that means, if nothing else it means I’ll be stronger. Though now that I think about it, how the heck do I evolve? Do I just level up more? Do I need to do something specific? Like caterpillars turning into butterflies, they have to make themself into cocoons. Monkeys obviously don't make cocoons, but something along those lines perhaps. Or what if I need to defeat another boss myself? I really hope that’s not it, considering the only one near me is that freaky mummy dude with the swords.

I shook my head, no sense in worrying about that right now. I’ve got my hands full enough as it is just staying alive. Maybe after I get to the highest level for the area. Considering everything else here is level 10 at most that’ll be a while. I’ll need… 600 plus 700 is 1300, plus 800 is 2100, plus 900 is 3000… Three centipedes, or like fifty lizards, or three hundred rats. Either way, something I’m not looking forward to. Maybe if I could figure out a way to cheese that a bit, but as of right now it looks a bit far off.

The main thing though is just getting just the 600 so that I have the level up. Having a full heal on standby literally just saved me from bleeding to death. I mean, I could hunt down another centipede I suppose, but I don’t have another net to use. It didn’t seem all too smart though, just chasing me down blindly to try and kill me. I could use that, but the fact that it was faster than me means that just kiting it really isn’t much of an option. I suppose I could maybe get through its shell with this knife but I don’t want to risk breaking my hand again.

I stopped on a branch to think, scratching my chin slightly as I rapped my knuckles against the branch below me. I could try hunting something else that would be of similar level to the centipede, but I’m pretty sure everything will be the same difficulty and I will know even less about them. The safe bet would be to try and make another net, but I really don’t have the time for that. It took forever even when I had worked up the motivation to do it. Now I’m on a time crunch until whenever the next time I get injured is. I could try to go back into the dungeon maybe, see if the giant rats are any good for xp. Maybe I could even try climbing back up over the fluff face into the orange wood again, try to see if there is anything up there that I maybe could pick off.

I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts a bit. I need to calm down, I can worry about my plans tomorrow, right now I’m tired, and I really want to get back to all the other monkeys and get some sleep. Hopefully ideas will come easier to me once I’ve had a full night’s rest. A level up does the body good to just wipe away all the stress you had up to that point, but I’m still tired. Apparently nothing can make you not need sleep. Which is odd, considering after the centipede fight I was basically good as new. Maybe sleepy tired and exhausted tired are two different things?

I really need to figure out how all of this actually works. I’ve been here in this world… has it really only been two days? It feels like it’s been so much longer. Though that might just be because so much has happened. I’ve done more now in two days than I had in like two months of my life back home. I’d maybe gone camping like once a year, if that. And now here I am, living in a jungle, eating fruit off the ground and trying really hard not to die on a regular basis. Also I really haven’t touched on the fact that I was basically reincarnated either. What does me being a monkey mean about my previous life, if anything?

Wait a second. Hold on. That church in town. If there is a catholic church, that means there must be Catholicism. How can there be Catholics if we had to be reincarnated to get here? Unless they had the idea that this was hell, or purgatory or something. Not being able to read Latin really sucks for the fact that my closest thing to answers I might have gotten were in a language from my own home, and unfortunately one of the ones I can’t understand. They might have even had some sort of insights as to what the heck is going on. Maybe they know something I don’t, and that’s why they’re still Christian. Or maybe it was that they were particularly zealous and refused to acknowledge the philosophical implications.

Though if it were the idea of being hell or purgatory then there would surely be way more than just me and whoever built that church. Clearly not everyone in this world is reincarnated. Most of these animals are just animals. I seem to be the only one out of all of these that is able to think and reason. Seem to, at least. It could be that being brought here is like some sort of cosmological fluke, or special exception to the rule. Though I don’t know why that would be the case for me, considering I didn’t do anything exceptional, or too out of the ordinary. Maybe it was something having to do with how I died? Like maybe I was T-boned by a voodoo witchdoctor, or some vampire tried to drink my blood while I slept, and my vampire self is still alive back home but my soul left? That would be pretty cool actually.

I trudged over a branch as it drooped under my weight, seeing the watering hole come into view. There was a feeling of relief, like I’d just shrugged off a heavy jacket from my shoulders and circled the pond, hopping over the brush and dropping into the clearing, seeing the other monkeys all clustered together, and Boris all on his own with a pile of bones picked totally clean. The bodies of the other monkeys were also gone now, which I didn’t really question, as I was mostly just glad that I wouldn’t be surrounded by bodies. I picked the tree at the center of the clearing and leaned up against it, almost wanting to fall asleep immediately, but I still had the matter of my level up to deal with before I passed out completely.

First thing I did was upgrade my speed. First because I wanted one of my stats at 10 to see if there was any sort of difference, and secondly because my speed was probably the only reason that I’m not dead after that last fight. That new dodge skill proved to be really useful in that fight, if you can call it a fight. I just barely managed to stay alive. Though I think next I’ll probably try to work on endurance, since seeing how much damage an actual weapon does. I nearly died in one swing.

Next for my abilities. This will be a bit harder to choose. I didn’t really get the opportunity to test out what omnivore changed last time, but maybe this time I should try upgrading aposematism, see what that does for me. Maybe I’ll get more scary looking or maybe prettier? But then again I could probably upgrade something else that’s more tangible. Like my senses. I could upgrade my sense of smell, I’ve always wondered how dogs smell things differently. Or maybe go for hearing again to try and keep from being snuck up on. Yeah, I think that’s what I’ll do.

Now for a new skill, I have all the ones that I was looking to choose from before. So time to scroll through again, and see if there are any new skills I’d like to have. There were plenty of general skills that I’d spotted, but most of them I don’t see being much of an immediate use for. Some seem interesting, like tracking, or hunting, not sure what the difference is there. Though one skill caught my eye, and it set me thinking. That was fishing. For one, it has skills that are specialized like that, and secondly that wasn’t there before. What did I do to make that show up? Was it just because my stats are higher? Is there a threshold you have to meet to gain certain skills? Or maybe a certain level? Either way, scrolling through, I see a number of ones that are new. Like discern weakness.

Discern weakness: a basic skill that allows one to perceive both a structural or abstract weakness in a creature.

So if I am reading this right, this would basically be the “attack its weak point for massive damage” skill. Which frankly I’m going to need when it comes to these harder fights like with the centipedes or mr. zombie dude in the cave. So I selected that, and unlike the other skills which I had to test out, as soon as I selected it, I noticed the difference. Looking at the other monkeys around me, I could tell how vulnerable they were. It was less a giant glowing weak point, and more of me just noticing things more instinctively, like the neck being the biggest one, but also I noticed that they rely mostly on their arms to move and fight, so the loss of their elbow would cripple their ability to both fight and run. Huh… good to know.

Next, which skill to upgrade, and frankly, dodge was the best choice to pick up before and there’s no question that it’s the one I want to upgrade right now, but is it really the best option? Thinking about who I’ll be fighting in the future I do foresee a lot of swords swinging at me, but immediately? Frankly, the one I noticed the most in town was the climbing. If I’d just been able to climb faster, that whole situation would have been so much easier to deal with. So climbing 2 it is.

Lastly, spells, I still have only one option since bluster has been maxed, though having used windfury, it really did come in handy there at the end. I was able to stab Aragorn-ish’s leg like six times, and he couldn’t chase me any more. Probably the only reason I was able to get away. So I’m not bothered at all by the fact that I am leveling that up. Though I am hoping that when I use it next time, it won’t be out of so dire a need, or at least I will be on the upper hand instead… and maybe get some xp… why am I negotiating with my own fantasy? I am very tired.

After having finished my leveling up for the day, I turned to the tree I was laying on, and rested my head on the root. It wasn’t exactly comfortable, but when you’re tired enough, you really don’t care any more. I sprawled out across the root, which was wider than my body, closed my eyes and just let sleep take me. There were a few nascent thoughts that popped in and out, but nothing that would be legible come morning.